Well-drilling apparatus



Dec. 28 1926.

W. SHELDON WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 27. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I I .HIHHHHIIH 4IIHIHIIHIH HHH ml I W Hill mn nmi 1 m H 1 HH l INVENTOR mwsmm Dec. 28 1926. w 1,612,226

WQSHELDON WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Opt. 27 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5& :f3

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec 28, 1926.

amaze UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE WALDO SHELDON, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

WELL-DRILLING EPARA'I'US.

Application filed October 27, 1925. Serial No. 65,108.

jectionably to the bulk of the machine and which will not destroy the balance of the table or interfere with the usual rotary drilling operations.

These objects are attained in part by means of a power cylinder and piston of annular form concentrically carried by the table and arranged to have adriving connection with the drill extending therethrough.

Various other novel features of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification illustrate a simple, practical embodiment of the invention, but it should. be understood that the structure may be modified without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and broadly claimed.

Figure l is a part sectional elevation of the apparatus showing the annular piston to which the drill is connected in its lowered position.

Figures 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views respectively on the lines 2--2 and 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a broken sectional view on substantially the plane of line 1-4 of Figure 1.

In the machine illustrated, a. suitable base plate 5 is provided carrying a long dependent bearing 6 for the elongated dependent bearing sleeve 7 of the rotary table 8. This table is shown as equipped with a bevel gear ring 9 for driving in the usual manner and is shown as supported by a ball bearing 10. This bearing is shown as of the self-alining type having a lower bearing ring 11 provided with an arcuate seat 12 and is sufiiciently heavy to carry the combined weight of the table, ower cylinder and string of drill pipe he upthrust of the table is taken care of by a thrust ring 13 secured to the lower end of the bearing sleeve 7 and engaging a thrust bearing l i at the lower end of thebase sleeve 6.

The power cylinder comprlses an outer sleeve 15 seated in the bearing sleeve 7 and having aflange 16 secured over the top of the table, an inner sleeve 17, a lower annular cylinder head 18 connecting the outer and inner sleeves and an. upper sleeve-like head 19 fitted inside the outer sleeve 15 and secured thereto at the top by a flange 20.

The piston which operates within the annular cylinder thus defined comprises an annular head21 to which is connected an annular piston sleeve 22 rising between the outer surface of the inner cylinder sleeve 17 and the inside surface of'the upper cylinder head sleeve 19'. This annular piston rod carries at its upper end, a flanged head 23 extending inwardly over the upper end of the inner cylinder head sleeve 19, to which are attached the adapters, bushings and clamps for securing the drill pipe. These drill pipe holding devices are not shown as they may vary instructure, it being suflicient for purposes of the present disclosure to understand that the drill pipe gripping devices are mounted on and carried by the head of this annular piston rod.

Suitable packing rings are indicated at 2d carried by the piston head and cooperating with the walls of the annular cylinder and other packing rings are shown at 25 at the upper and lower ends of the cylinder head sleeve 19, sealing the joint between said head and the annular piston rod.

The power cylinder is fixedly secured to the .table so as to rotate therewith and in order that this rotation may be imparted by the piston to the drill pipe, the piston is slidably keyed in the cylinder in the present disclosure by means of a long key 26 secured by screws 27 on the outer face of the inner cylinder sleeve near the upper end thereof and fitting a longitudinal keyway 28 in the inner surface of the piston rod sleeve, 22. This key also serves as a stop limiting the up travel of the piston. I

The water or other fluid under pressure for actuating the piston is admitted to the cylinder from a chest 29 secured in dependent relation to the lower end of the supporting bearing 6 by a flange 30. Suitable supply piping 31, 32 is connected with this chest and the same has a close fitting sliding enagement with the-outer surface of the cylinder, made tight above and below the port or passages 33, 34 by suitable packing 35.

The pressure supply and exhaust ports 33, 34 are enlarged into annular chambers 36, 37, Figures 2 and 3, with which respectively communicate ports 38 and 39 in the outer cylinder wall.

A bearing liner 40 is shown carried by the cylinder where it is in rotative engagement with the surrounding chest or manifold 29.

A liner 4:1 is also shown rovided within the outer cylinder sleeve. his liner terminates short of the upper cylinder ports 38 leaving these open to admit pressure on top of the piston, but covers the lower cylinder ports 39, passages 42 extending from these ports down in back of the liner to the lower end of the cylinder Where communicating seen that any desired feeding or lifting force may be applied to the drill irrespective and independently of the table rotation. A. very fine regulation of the drill is thus made possible, enabling application of the right pressure at all times to efl'ect the best results. The cylinder is preferably of considerable length, enabling a long feed stroke of thedrill and the drill clamping means is preferably of a type which can be quickly released at the end of a feed stroke and then quickly engaged with the drill stem in readiness for a fresh stroke. The length of the power cylinder is also of advantage in lowering the center of gravity of the table, tending to steady the action of the table and imparting a fly wheel efiect thereto.

The apparatus as a whole is of sim is, sturdy construction and made up of rea ily manufactured parts which can be easily assembled.

What is claimed is:

1. In well drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a concentric annular cylinder carried thereby and an annular piston operating in said cylinder having a concentric annular piston rod for driving engagement with a drill pipe extending therethrough.

2, In well drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a concentric annular power cylinder carried thereby and rotating therewith, an annular piston operating in said cylinder and an annular piston rod connected with said piston and slidingly keyed to the cylinder, said annularpistonrod having a head for driving connection with a drill pipe extending therethrough.

3. In well drilling apparatus, a base having an elongated dependent bearing, a rotary neiaaae table having an elongated bearing sleeve journaled in said bearing, an annular power cylinder secured within said bearing sleeve and an annular piston operating in said cylinder and having an upwardly projecting annular piston rod for driving connection with a drill pipe extending through the table.

4. In well. drilling apparatus, a base having an elongated dependent bearing, a rotary table having an elongated bearing sleeve journaled in said bearing, an annular power cylinder secured within said bearing sleeve and an annular piston operating in said cylinder and having an upwardly projecting annular piston rod for drivingconnection with a drill pipe extending through the table and pressure supplying connections carried by the elongated bearing of the base and having a relatively rotatable engagement with the power cylinder.

5. In well drilling apparatus, a rotary table, annular cylinder walls carried by said table, an annular piston operating between said cylinder walls and an annular piston rod extending from said piston up between the annular cylinder walls.

6. In well drilling apparatus, a rotary table,-annular cylinder walls carried by said table, an annular piston operating between said cylinder walls, an annular piston rod extending from said piston up between the annular cylinder walls and an upper cylinder head sleeve interposed between the outer cylinder wall and the outer surface of the annular piston rod.

7. In well drilling apparatus, a rotary table and a concentrically arran ed annular power cylinder carried by sai table and having a vertically operating member for connection with a drill pipe extending therethrough.

8. In well drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a concentrically arranged annular power cylinder carried by said table and aving a vertically operating member for connection with a drill pipe extending therethrough and means for admitting flow to opposite ends of the power cylinder irrespective of the rotation of the same with the table. I

9. In well drilling apparatus, a base havin a dependent elongated bearing, a rotary tale having an elongated sleeve journaled in said bearing, an annular power cylinder secured within said sleeve and having ports below the bearing, a pressure supply chest carried by the bearing and surroundlng the ported portion of the cylinder and an annular piston operating in the ,cylinder and provided with an annular iston rod for driving en agement with a rill pipe.

10. n well drilling apparatus, a base having a dependent elongated bearing, a rotary table having an elongated sleeve journaled in said bearing, an annular power cylinder secured within said sleeve and having ports below the bearing, a pressure supply chest carried by the bearing and surrounding the ported portion of the. cylinder and an annular piston operating in the cylinder and provided-with an annular piston rod. for driving engagement with a drill pipe, said piston rod having an annular enlargement at the upper end of the same forming a head plovering the upper end of the bearing cylin- 11. In well drilling apparatus a rotary table, spaced annular cylinder walls carried thereby, an annular cylinder head connecting the lower ends of said wells, a cylinder head sleeve extending within the upper end of the outer cylinder wall, a piston rod sleeve operating between said cylinder head sleeve and the inner cylinder wall and an annular piston on the lower end of said piston rod sleeve operating in the space between the cylinder walls.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of October, 1925.

- WALDO SHELDON. 

